New Delhi: Pakistan's attempt to step up fidayeen attacks in Jammu and Kashmir will figure prominently during the top level three services commanders meeting starting on October 27 with a detailed presentation on the ground position to be given to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on November 1.


The presentation assumes significance with the Centre now opting for an open dialogue with Hurriyat Conference and the expected moves by Pakistan-sponsored terrorist outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) to sabotage the talks.

Top field commanders of the Northern command have recently opposed moves of winter pull back of troops from the forward areas in Jammu and Kashmir and the conference is likely to endorse this.

> This would mean that troops would remain stationed in the forward most locations to stop any attempts in infiltration in winter months. This is significant in the context of recent intelligence reports that Pakistan was imparting some terrorist groups winter fighting training.

According to Defence officials, other highlight of the nearly week-long annual conference would be another detailed presentation on the recently set up Army's first ever Artillery Division which has come up in Southern Command.

The artillery division includes three to four missile groups which are to be armed with short and medium range Pakistan-specific Agni missiles.

Naval Chief Madhvendera Singh and Air Chief S Krishnaswamy are also likely to give presentations on air and naval power projections.

For the first time, Army would also release its new quality assurance manual.

The Western Army Command has recently come with a detailed paper on command on insurgency forces by Armoured Corp and Mechanised Corp officers which may be endorsed in the Army manual, thereby implying that more officer cadre and personnel from these highly elite units would now be drafted for the insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Hitherto personnel from these units, except for brief stints in Siachen glacier, were not getting counter insurgency deployment to the extent as infantry and artillery units.

PTI